William Nunery, M.D.

CLINICAL EXPERTISE

Clinical evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of orbital and periorbital trauma and disease processes. These disease processes include aesthetic and reconstructive surgery specializing in the face, orbits, eyelids and lacrimal system, specifically: ophthalmic Graves’ disease, repair of oculofacial/orbital trauma, development and reconstruction of the anophthalmic socket, correction of eyelid malposition, and tearing/lacrimal outflow issues.

RESEARCH INTERESTS:
My primary research interests have focused on three main topics in oculofacial plastic and orbital surgery. These include the delineation of subtypes and best treatments for ophthalmic Graves’ disease, the development and rehabilitation of the anophthalmic socket, and reconstruction practices in orbitofacial trauma. Highlights of the Graves’ research include the definition and clinical significance of two subtypes of ophthalmic Graves’ disease, the discovery of the relationship of cigarette smoking to Graves’ disease and the differential impact on subtypes, as well as defining the role of decompression surgery in subtypes of Graves’ disease and its relationship to diplopia. Anophthalmic socket research interests helped to define the role of volume implantation in congenital anophthalmia, demonstrated the effects of radiation on hydroxyapatite use in the orbit, defined mechanical aspects of improved ocular prosthetic motility and investigated the psychological impact of enucleation surgery. Clinical research in oculofacial trauma has included definition of the post face trauma syndrome, and description of multiple surgical techniques which emphasize the role of the orbit in facial trauma reconstruction. These surgical techniques have included the use of nonporous, wraparound implants for medial wall and floor fractures, the lateral canthal approach to trimalar complex fractures, and an open approach to internal fixation of nasal fractures, as well as definition of midline chiasmal injury in naso-orbital fractures

Other current research interests include: a new surgical technique for treatment of blepharospasm, reporting results of autogenous fascial frontalis suspension for use in ptosis repair, describing late pain syndrome following use of hydroxyapatite orbital implantation, and continuing our investigation of pathophysiologic differences in the subtypes of ophthalmic Graves’ disease.